11d (edited) • Training 💪
💪 Bulk First or Learn Skills First? Here’s the Truth Nobody Explains
This question comes up all the time in calisthenics.
“Should I bulk first so I’m strong enough?”
Or
“Should I stay lean so skills like the front lever or handstand are easier?”
Here’s the honest answer.
Both sides are partially right. And both sides are often missing the point.
If you gain muscle and strength, that helps everything.
More pulling strength helps muscle-ups.
More pushing strength helps planche progressions.
No argument there.
But skills are not just strength problems.
A front lever is not just “big lats.”
A handstand is not just “strong shoulders.”
A muscle-up is not just “more pull-ups.”
They are position-specific strength and coordination problems.
That means if you bulk without practicing skills, you get stronger… but not necessarily better at the skill.
On the flip side, staying lean without building strength hits a ceiling fast.
What most successful calisthenics athletes actually do is this:
They train strength and skills at the same time.
They might gain muscle slowly or stay around maintenance.
They practice skills consistently with progressions.
They accept that some phases feel harder when bodyweight goes up.
They don’t stop skill work just because they are bulking.
Strength makes skills possible.
Skill practice makes strength usable.
One without the other stalls.
👉 The real question isn’t “bulk or skills?”
It’s: Are you training the right kind of strength for the skill you want?
💬 What are you focusing on right now: getting stronger, learning skills, or trying to balance both?
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💪 Bulk First or Learn Skills First? Here’s the Truth Nobody Explains
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